Business

North Central’s business department provides a high quality business education that promotes the development of students as managers, marketers, entrepreneurs and leaders as well as socially responsible individuals. The department is committed to offering programs that are not only rooted in the liberal arts but actively stress the world of work and the necessary practical skills so that graduates can succeed in their careers and future educational pursuits.

When it comes to leadership roles in student organizations, Bob says he and his fellow finance majors have a big advantage.

“Every club needs a treasurer to handle the budget,” he says. “So there’s a place for us in any organization.”

Bob’s favorite student group is the Bulls and Bears club, which brings finance professionals to campus for speaking events. It gives students an opportunity to network and receive advice from many experts in their field.

“It’s also a great club because you get to know the finance and economics faculty a little better,” Bob says.

Anna transferred to North Central so she could “walk into a class and see familiar faces” rather than feel lost among thousands of students. The College’s size has provided many other benefits as well.

“There are so many opportunities for leadership,” she says. “Our student clubs are smaller, so I could join the Student Human Resource Group (SHRG) as a sophomore, hold an executive board position the following year, and then get elected president as a senior. I’ve made business connections and friendships through student organizations that will take me places in my career and personal life.”

Anna interns at RCM Industries; she found out about the opening through a North Central alum who had...

When she arrived at North Central, Claudia knew she wanted international travel to be part of her college experience. By her senior year, she had logged 63 weeks of study abroad. She spent much of her time overseas immersed in economics research, and during one of her trips she began to ponder the significance of the free movement of people between countries that ultimately became the basis of a Fulbright Grant research proposal.

Claudia’s proposal was one of 11 chosen for work in the European Union. Just 36 hours after hearing this good news, she learned that she’d also won a second prestigious award–the Erasmus Mundus Scholarship, which funds a two-year master’s degree in economy, state and...

Dana plans to turn a hobby into a dream job by opening her own handmade jewelry boutique. "For me, a major reason for coming to North Central was its large number of business-related clubs and organizations," she says. North Central's location also appealed to her. "There are lots of small businesses right down the street, and their owners are often willing to talk with students and share their knowledge and advice," she points out. "My internships have given me real-life experience and an understanding of business operations."

Andrielle’s passion for human resource management began as an outgrowth of her internship as a human resources intern for Blue Sales and Marketing in Schaumburg, IL. She has grown to love the field even more as she explores its many aspects, including sociology, psychology, speech and business. “I learn so much in my business courses,” she says. “I enjoy participating in class discussions to better my understanding.” Andrielle has expanded her knowledge outside the classroom as well. Taking a leadership position as co-president of the Black Student Association has helped her grow professionally. “The opportunity helped me as an human resource management major to learn more about planning, development and...

Two areas of study were necessities for Cameron during his college search: international business and Chinese. He chose North Central because it offered both and many opportunities to get involved.

By the end of his first year, Cameron had already plunged into the North Central experience. He became co-president of the Chinese Club and got involved with the Entrepreneurship and International Business Organization. He landed an internship at an Internet marketing company through campus networking and, in his second year, studied abroad at Peking University in China.

Cameron says his international business major is a “natural combination of my interests, skills and ambitions,” and looks to set a...

Gail wanted to improve her Spanish, so she decided to spend a term studying in Costa Rica. The trip had a profound effect on her that went beyond mastering a second language.

“It ignited a fire in me to keep traveling,” she says.

As the president of Enactus and its direct-trade business, NCC’s Best, she’s had plenty of opportunities to explore the world. Along the way, her fluency in Spanish has come in handy.

“The majority of our products are from Africa and Central America. During our annual trip to Guatemala, I was part of a group giving presentations in Spanish to producers of coffee and textiles,” she says.

Gail is enrolled in a five-year program that will allow her to graduate...

Allison conducted the ultimate "taste test." With the help of North Central’s Career Development Center she obtained two summer internships. One involved working in production and design at Sourcebooks, Inc., a publishing company; the other required serving as an events and promotion intern at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium. "Both experiences were valuable and helped me decide what to look for in my career,” she says. "I broadened my background and got a taste of two different fields, both related to marketing/advertising in a sense."

"When I saw that North Central offered a management information systems degree that combined my love of technology with business, I was pleased; it seemed like the perfect fit," recalls Matt. He currently serves as the Oswego School District’s Webmaster. "Working with the school district has shown me that I want to stay in an educational environment, where I can help students learn more effectively by using technology."

Kelsey created lots of marketing buzz as a student. She helped develop an international marketing initiative for a small business to distribute and sell its baby products to Chinese markets.

She and members of her team, who are part of the College’s Entrepreneurship and International Business Organization, designed an exporting strategy and presented it to the business and at North Central’s undergraduate symposium. Team members have plans to travel to China to follow the initiative.

“North Central’s marketing department does a great job of implementing real-world projects into the curriculum. The projects helped me develop a feel for what marketing is all about and confirmed I’ve chosen the right...

Carolina’s international business major combined her passions for language, culture, travel and business.

While attending North Central, Carolina studied in France and China. She also worked in Mexico on an Entrepreneurship and International Business Organization (EIBO) project. As part of a three-person team seeking a Mexican distributor for a U.S. elevator company, she met with distributors, advised the company about using services provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce and served as translator. "That was probably my most interactive, hands-on business experience at North Central,” Carolina recalls. She ultimately wants to consult internationally or open new business locations in overseas markets...

After taking a management course, Katherine began to see the business world as a blank canvas, waiting for her to make her mark.

An internship in retail management at American Eagle, a popular clothing store, gave her firsthand insight into the dedication and preparation it takes to effectively run and manage a business. “It’s one thing to learn in the classroom and ace all your tests, but the best kind of learning comes from firsthand experiences.”

In addition, Katherine and two other students worked with a local small business to develop a strategy for selling its products in a new international market.

“North Central doesn’t limit me to one area of study. I’ve been involved in an...

“I chose accounting to learn more about business and be prepared to own and operate my own business. I chose North Central so I could develop relationships with my professors and classmates and not be just another face in a crowd.”

From the start, Jessica discovered the many options for accounting majors through the Student Accounting Society (SAS). Involved her first year, she became the club’s vice president her senior year.

“It was through SAS events that I learned about the different career paths open to accountants. The club was a great way to make friends, work on group projects and network with professionals outside the school. Being an officer was one of my best experiences.”

Haleigh discovered the special bond that exists between North Central’s faculty and students during her first accounting class.

“The professor could tell from the look on my face I didn’t understand something. She proceeded to ask where she’d ‘lost me’ and went back and explained it again. I was so surprised a college professor would do that,” she says. “That’s when I knew North Central was the right place for me.”

Haleigh has had multiple opportunities to get hands-on marketing experience. She conducted market research for two different clients as part of her classes, and she works as an intern in North Central’s Office of Admission. She plans to pursue a career in higher education.

Stephanie chose management as one of her majors because she loves to work with people. While at North Central, she discovered "a love for the personal interaction involved with education and mentoring.” This year she is combining her management degree with those newfound passions as she pursues a master's in higher education administration at Marquette University. Ultimately she hopes to work at a small liberal arts college "just like North Central."

Kevin has used many of the concepts he’s learning as an entrepreneur and small business management major to create an online company with one of his classmates. As a student, he’s already well on his way to fulfilling a career goal.

“I want to run businesses that I start from the ground up,” he says. “If you want to be your own boss and like the idea of ‘the sky is the limit,’ entrepreneurship is a great major for you.”

Kevin and his business partner Mat Borej were in many of the same classes when they created their company, Flip Your iPhone. Their solid foundations in several business-related areas made the start-up process manageable.